Jazz Head Coach Tyrone Corbin to be Honored by Hometown

Submitted by jconger on Tue, 2011-07-19 10:04

Columbia, S.C., to give Corbin a proclamation and key to the city

COLUMBIA, S.C. (July 18, 2011) – The Columbia, S.C., City Council announced today that it will honor local sports hero and current Utah Jazz head coach Tyrone Corbin with a proclamation and will present him with a key to the city during its city council meeting on Tuesday, July 19 at 4 p.m. MT. The meeting and presentation will be held at Columbia's City Hall (1737 Main Street) and will recognize Corbin's achievements throughout his athletic career.

"We are proud to have this opportunity to celebrate Tyrone Corbin and all he has accomplished both on and off the court," Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin said. "He is one of Columbia's brightest stars and an example to our children of what is possible if you work hard and dream big."

A long-time favorite in his hometown, Corbin starred at Columbia's A.C. Flora High School playing alongside former NBA player Xavier McDaniel, before matriculating to DePaul University in Chicago. During a stand-out four-year career at DePaul, Corbin was a two-time honorable mention AP All-American and earned a degree in computer science.

"Tyrone Corbin is a shining example of a scholarly athlete who successfully merged his talent with his education to propel him into the highest ranks among the National Basketball Association. We are proud of his accomplishments and his story is a great model for the young people of our community," stated At-Large Councilwoman Tameika Isaac-Devine.
"Congratulations to Ty. This is a well-deserved honor for someone who has excelled in life as well as his chosen profession of basketball," said Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor.

Corbin was named head coach of the Jazz on February 10, 2011 after having served as an assistant coach since the 2004-05 season. He is the seventh head coach in Jazz history and the fourth head coach since the franchise's relocation to Utah in 1979. Prior to the 2010-11 season, Corbin ranked second in voting for the NBA's top assistant coach as selected by league general managers. Corbin joined the Jazz after spending the 2003-04 season as manager of player development for the New York Knicks. Prior to his stint with the Knicks, he spent two seasons as a player mentor for the North Charleston Lowgators of the NBA Development League.

Originally drafted by San Antonio in the second round (35th pick overall) of the 1985 NBA Draft, Corbin played for nine teams during a 16-year NBA career (1985-01), including three seasons with the Jazz from 1991-94. Corbin appeared in a total of 1,050 games and averaged 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds over the course of his career that included stints with San Antonio, Cleveland, Phoenix, Minnesota, Utah, Atlanta, Sacramento, Miami and Toronto.